By Scott Barancik, Editor Minor-league baseball is in business again, and here are some highlights from the first week. Bregman’s double-dinger heroics Alex Bregman, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2015 amateur draft, is off to a fast start playing for the Astros’ Double-A club, the Corpus Christi Hooks. On Monday (4/11/2016), the 22-year-old…
By Scott Barancik, Editor With the first official pitch of Opening Day just hours away, we’re taking a look back at Spring Training to see which Jewish athletes played at the MLB level, and how they performed. Below is an abbreviated table showing the 13 Jews who took MLB swings this Spring. Click here for more complete…
By Scott Barancik, Editor When the Kansas City Royals invited newcomer Cody Decker to attend Spring Training, there was little doubt the 29-year-old prankster, social-media wiz, amateur film critic, and self-styled”Antihero” would make friends easily. But make the opening-day roster? Unlikely. The competition remains fierce, and the odds steep. Despite emerging from the San Diego Padres’ farm system…
By Zev Ben Avigdor, Correspondent The son of a choreographer and a crime-scene cleanup specialist, 21-year-old centerfielder Rhett Wiseman grew up in Mansfield, Mass. Drafted out of high school by the Chicago Cubs, he postponed pro ball for the chance to attend Vanderbilt University, where he helped deliver a College World Series championship. Wiseman may be best known…
[Updated 3/9/2016] By Scott Barancik, Editor At least 20 Jewish players are participating in Spring Training for a Major League team in 2016. The list includes eight active Major Leaguers and 11 minor leaguers, a majority of whom have MLB experience. One non-roster invitee, Houston Astros prospect Alex Bregman, was drafted in 2015 and is ranked…
By Zev Ben Avigdor, Correspondent January 18, 2016 Like many men playing in baseball’s independent leagues, 28-year-old Casey Logan Haerther began his professional career with a Major League franchise. Casey was drafted out of Chaminade College Preparatory School in West Hills, California, by the San Diego Padres, in the 35th round of the 2006 draft. Electing instead…
By Zev Ben Avigdor, Correspondent Ryan Lashley has seen his share of independent minor leagues, where the teams are unaffiliated with MLB franchises. Three years into his pro career, the 25-year-old infielder already has traveled through four separate leagues: Frontier, United, Can-Am, and American Association. 2015 did not begin well. Injuries plagued Ryan’s debut with the…
On this date: Oct. 19-25, 2015 Powered by Masa Israel Journey Oct. 31, 2006: Jonathan Bornstein of Chivas USA is named MLS Rookie of the Year Oct. 30, 1963: Six days after receiving a Cy Young Award, Sandy Koufax is named N.L. MVP Oct. 29, 1994: Andrew Seras (U.S.) wins the Greco-Roman gold medal at the…
Stat of the day: Oct. 19-25, 2015 Powered by Masa Israel Journey Oct. 31, 2015: New York Mets LF Art Shamsky hit a blistering .538 in the 1969 NLCS before going 0-for-6 in the World Series Oct. 30, 2015: Two of 13 Jews in MLB this year are named Gold Glove finalists: Kevin Pillar, and Ian Kinsler Oct….
By Zev Ben Avigdor, correspondent Many Jewish baseball fans follow Jewish players’ journeys from college, through the affiliated minor leagues, up to a Major League Baseball team. Not as many fans keep track of players in independent baseball, such as the Can-Am League, the Atlantic League, or the Frontier League. One of the top independent leagues…
Stat of the day: Oct. 19-25, 2015 Powered by Masa Israel Journey Oct. 25, 2015: Kevin Pillar leads all Jewish major leaguers with 140,000 Twitter followers Oct. 24, 2015: White Sox prospect Brad Goldberg (High-A) was 1-4 with 11 saves and a 2.97 ERA in 2015 Oct. 23, 2015: Over 4 World Series, Sandy Koufax had a…
On this date: Oct. 19-25, 2015 Powered by Masa Israel Journey Oct. 25, 1992: Italy’s Riccardo Patrese wins Grand Prix Japan, his sixth Formula One victory Oct. 24, 1967: Steve Chubin, a 6’2″ guard with the ABA’s Anaheim Amigos, scores 42 points against the Kentucky Colonels Oct. 23, 1983: Brian Gottfried wins his 25th and…
Stat of the day: Oct. 12-18, 2015 Powered by Masa Israel Journey Oct. 18, 2015: Drafted to play first base, Pirates prospect Jared Lakind was 3-1 with a 1.69 ERA in 2015 Oct. 17, 2015: Nats prospect Richard Bleier went 14-5 in 2015 and averaged less than one walk per 9 innings Oct. 16, 2015:…
On this date: Oct. 12-18, 2015 Powered by Masa Israel Journey Oct. 18, 1983: Pro bowler Mark Roth wins his 28th title, 2nd-most in PBA history Oct. 17, 1968: Two Jews medal in Olympic 4×100 freestyle relay: Mark Spitz (U.S., gold), Semyon Belits-Geiman (USSR, silver) Oct. 16, 1974: A’s pitcher Ken Holtzman homered and earned his 2nd win in Game 4 of the World Series Oct. 15,…
Stat of the day: Oct. 6-11, 2015 (archive) Powered by Masa Israel Journey Oct. 11, 2015: Sandy Koufax struck out in 49.7% of his at-bats, worst in MLB history Oct. 10, 2015: Reds prospect Zack Weiss had 30 saves this season, #2 among all 4,794 minor-league pitchers Oct. 9, 2015: Kevin Pillar‘s RBI double Thursday was the…
On this date: Oct. 6-11, 2015 Powered by Masa Israel Journey Oct. 11, 1965: Dodgers’ Sandy Koufax hurls complete-game shutout of Twins in Game 5 of World Series, adds RBI single Oct. 10, 1925: Michigan QB Benny Friedman throws 5 TDs, runs another, and kicks 8 XPs in 63-0 win over Indiana Oct. 9, 1973:…
By Scott Barancik, editor Starting today, Jewish Baseball News is introducing two daily features during the October MLB Playoffs: a numbers-driven item called “Stat of the Day,” and “On This Date,” which will recall special moments in Jewish sports history. Both retweetable features are powered by Masa Israel, a joint project of the Jewish Agency…
By Scott Barancik, editor A Jewish duo keyed Oakland’s 4-3 win yesterday over the Astros (9/18/2015). Danny Valencia supplied the power. Batting cleanup, the mid-season acquisition hit a solo HR in the 4th inning and a two-run shot in the 8th that proved to be the game-winner. Sam Fuld furnished the glove. Houston was up 2-0…
By Scott Barancik, editor Cody Decker returned to L.A. on Sunday, a day after his El Paso Chihuahuas were knocked out of the Pacific Coast League (AAA) playoffs. His future was uncertain: after seven seasons as a San Diego Padres farmhand, the franchise’s all-time minor-league home run leader (154 HRs) was due to become a…
By Scott Barancik, editor It looks like manager Brad Ausmus’s stay with the Detroit Tigers is coming to an end. Citing an unnamed source with “knowledge of the front office’s plans,” the Detroit Free Press reported this morning that Tigers owner Mike Ilitch will fire Ausmus sometime after the the team’s final game of the regular…
